Fascinating origins and history of coffee
“A bad day with Coffee is better than a good day without it”
Yes, Coffee has become a popular beverage in today's world, with around two billion cups consumed each day. It has been thoroughly researched for its numerous health advantages, including its potential to boost energy, support weight loss, improve athletic performance, and protect against chronic diseases. Coffee may improve physical performance and endurance when consumed before exercise. With the number of coffee drinkers on the rise, let's learn more about where coffee came from and how it travelled around the world.
The Origin of Coffee
In 700 AD, Kaldi and his goats were mentioned in the most popular genesis story of the cherished bean. Kaldi, a goat herder from Ethiopia, noticed that his goats were acting strangely. They were enjoying the moment, which was not at all normal. He observed, they were eating red berries and deduced that this was the source of their strange behaviour. After discovering this magical fruit, he told a monk about it, who was overjoyed to discover something that would help him pray all night. They attempted to preserve the beans in an ewer filled with hot water after taking them from the fire and pressing them to eliminate the embers. The aroma of freshly prepared coffee drew in even more monks. They noticed the elevating effects for themselves after taking it. They decided to drink it every day to help them stay awake during prayers and to boost their religious devotions.
It was the Arabs who were the first to start roasting and grinding coffee beans to brew them with hot water about 1000 years after Christ. They were also the first in Yemen to plant coffee trees and establish their first plantations. Coffee has travelled a long, successful, and fascinating journey from the discovery of the first specimen of Coffee Arabica to its now refined avatar, the Italian Espresso.
Across the World
The mocha was the name of the port where the beans first landed. Mocha became synonymous with coffee as a result of the growing popularity of coffee and the shipment of coffee from the port city. As coffee shops sprouted up all over Arabia, the beverage began to become immensely popular. However, because of its stimulating impact, the court in Mecca decreed coffee to be outlawed in the early 1500s. Both Cairo in Egypt, and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, saw identical events. All of these prohibitions were eventually abolished, but the coffee had already been subjected to a great deal of persecution before it. When the coffee bean spread further East and West: East into India and Indonesia, and West into Italy and the rest of Europe, it changed the path of coffee’s history.
Coffee cafés sprouted all over Europe as the 1600s progressed, in England, Austria, France, Germany, and Holland. The Turkish Ambassador to Paris introduced coffee to France in the 17th century, notably in 1669. The Royal Court swooned for the liquor during his time with Louis the XIV, and Paris was quickly engulfed by it. The Turks, who were intending to overrun the country, were defeated, leaving a surplus of coffee behind.
Coffee in the West
The Boston Tea Party and the American Revolution launched America's coffee adventure in the 18th century. In 1773, to protest the English’s tax on tea, a group of patriots, many costumed as American Indians, snuck aboard English Tea ships docked in Boston harbour and dumped all of the tea into the ocean. As a result, tea became extremely unpatriotic, and coffee became the preferred beverage in the United States. Since then, the United States has been the world's biggest coffee importer, purchasing significantly more coffee than any other country.
Coffee in India
When coffee was introduced to hilltops from Yemen in the mid to late 1600s, Chikamagalur, a lesser-known, charming hill village, became the first recorded spot in India to plant coffee. Coffee was grown long before tea, primarily in Northern India. This is a little-known fact because India is recognised as a tea-drinking country, with outstanding tea gardens in Darjeeling, Bengal, and Assam. Karnataka accounts for over 65% of total production, with Tamil Nadu contributing about 15% and Kerala accounting for around 20%.
Today, Tamil Nadu accounts for 60% of the consumption of coffee in South India, with Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala accounting for 25%, 10%, and 5% respectively. Instant coffee is most commonly consumed in the North, East, and West zones than filter coffee.
Coffee is the most sought-after commodity in the world, second only to crude oil. Every year, 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed. Coffee consumption is quite likely to continue for a very long time.
“Coffee connects us in so many ways – to each other, to our senses, and to the earth that supports the coffee trees.” - Rohan Marley
Since the turn of the 20th century, coffee has become the most popular and favourite beverage among individuals. This paved the way for Leo Coffee, which was started in 1910 and went on to produce a variety of blends like Special Peaberry, Special A, House Blend, Top Blend, etc., to suit the tastes of people from various regions eventually becoming the Soul of South India.
Conclusion
Today, coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world (next to water and tea). Coffee is more than just a beverage. It's a global commodity. From goat-herders to creative baristas, the legacy of coffee is ongoing and this beverage has become so popular that it is consumed by millions of people every day all over the world. So, what are you waiting for? Grab a cup from your kitchen, brew some coffee, and have a good quality time with your friends and family.